Russian forces are constructing underground passages on the left bank of Kherson Region to covertly move closer to the positions of Ukrainian defenders and carry out offensive operations.
This was reported in an interview with Crimea.Realities by Colonel Alim Kerimov, chief of staff of the 34th Separate Marine Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to him, the underground passages help the Russians move in areas where Ukrainian troops control the airspace and prevent the enemy from moving overland.
It concerns maze-like tunnels measuring between 50 and 150 metres in length. Some sections with such underground structures cover around 20–30% of the territory of the occupied Left Bank. At the same time, the Russians have not created a continuous, extensive network.
Kerimov explained that the enemy resorts to this method of advance because it is impossible to move safely across open terrain. At first, Russian troops try to move overland, and later they build tunnels and shelters.
Despite this, Ukrainian units detect the entrances to the underground passages and destroy them.
Russian forces also use underground communications to covertly move personnel in the Kupiansk and Avdiivka directions.
- Similar cases were recorded in 2023 in the Avdiivka direction. Russian troops dug tunnels for surprise attacks from underground.